Joanne Barham stole a grieving widow's life insurance payout while she was on holiday

But when Brady jetted to Egypt for a break, Barham plundered £500 from her bank account.

On discovering the missing money when she returned, Brady challenged Barham who denied all involvement and the police were called.

Barham later claimed she was ''too embarrassed'' to tell Brady she had taken the cash as she was thousands of pounds in debt.

But in a statement Mrs Brady said: '' I'm just devastated at being treated like this by someone I called a friend. I feel I'm no longer a good judge of character after the way she used me when I was at my most vulnerable.

When the victim was given the life insurance money she agreed to help out Barham, who had borrowed thousands of pounds and claimed she could not afford to pay her bills.

Prosecuting, Robert Smith said: "The complainant formed a close relationship with the defendant. The money taken was from her husband's insurance payout. The defendant has no previous convictions but a caution for dishonesty."

In mitigation defence lawyer Helen Longworth said: "She does intend to pay the money back and she has already made some efforts to start a repayment plan. She has two cautions but her character is effectively good.”

Sentencing Judge Bernadette Baxter told Barham: "This was a gross breach of trust - you built up a friendship with someone you knew to be vulnerable and trusting and you breached that trust by committing this offence.

SICK KILLER

MUM'S MOMO WARNING

"You work on a part-time basis but I bet if you wanted to work harder you could but you choose not to.

“But, for these reasons I have reduced the sentence.

“Some say you richly deserve immediate imprisonment but even though you don't deserve a chance, your children do."

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